“Alex?”
“Hmm?”
“I feel better now. I do not have any more secrets.”
He kissed her forehead and nudged his horse forward. As they moved away from the loch, his men dropped in behind them.
After they dismounted at the keep, they continued to walk hand in hand, much to the surprise of his clan.
“Alex?”
“Aye?”
“I think I would like to stop at the chapel. I have much I need to be thankful for.” She gave him a tentative smile.
“I will go with you, Maddie. I will go with you.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jennie and Emma are playing when a sinkhole opens up, swallowing them into the ground. Alex is on patrol, so Robbie waits for his return, but Maddie is unwilling to wait and jumps into the hole to save the wee ones. Maddie grabs another piece of his heart.
The rope was finally dangling above them. Emma, still awake, silently sucked her thumb as she clung to Maddie. Standing without much difficulty, Maddie grabbed for the rope above her head, but she could not reach it with Emma.
“More, Alex,” she shouted. “I cannot reach it.”
He let more of it down.
“More!” she shouted. Finally, it reached her. “All right, I have it now.”
“Tie it around your waist, Maddie.”
Maddie tugged it a little more and set Emma down. “Just for a moment, sweeting. We are going to get you to your mama.” She clumsily tied it around her waist and picked Emma back up with her right arm, holding her tight. There was no other way. Her left arm was dangling at an odd angle.
She tugged on the rope and yelled to Alex. “Ready, Alex!”
As soon as Maddie’s feet left the ground, her entire body swayed. The movement made Emma wail and Maddie was forced to grab the rope with her left hand to help steady them. Stabbing pain gripped her, but she refused to let go.Just a little pain, she chanted in her mind. She could bear it until Emma was safe. They continued to move up slowly, the pain in her arm relentless.
An image of her mother singing helped her focus, but it was blurry. She switched to Alex, recalling the warm comfort of beingin his arms. She pictured his face and thought of everything she loved about him. Hearing her name again, she snapped to attention—they were almost at the top.
“Stop, Alex, stop!” she yelled. “We will not be able to fit through together.”
“Hand her up and I will grab her,” he shouted.
She found a wedge for her foot and pushed with all her strength. Alex reached in and plucked the bairn from her. He handed her out as the crowd cheered. Moira rushed over and grabbed the lassie, sobbing as she rocked Emma back and forth.
When Alex turned to Maddie, his eyes landed on her arm.
“Maddie, your arm,” he whispered.
“I know, Alex. I think ‘tis broken.”
“It must pain you. How will you hold Jennie? She is much heavier.”
“I know, but I can do it. We have no choice.”
He turned to Robbie. “Pull her out!”
“Nay,” she yelled. She wedged her foot solidly into the side of the hole.
